Brownfields National Partnership
Action Agenda - Fact Sheet

EPA’s Brownfields Economic Redevelopment Initiative is designed to empower States, communities, and other stakeholders in economic redevelopment to work together in a timely manner to prevent, assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse brownfields. A brownfield is a site, or portion thereof, that has actual or perceived contamination and an active potential for redevelopment or reuse. EPA’s Brownfields Initiative strategies include funding pilot programs and other research efforts, clarifying liability issues, entering into partnerships, conducting outreach activities, developing job training programs, and addressing environmental justice concerns.

BACKGROUND

The Clinton Administration has launched a landmark effort to improve communities by building partnerships between public and private organizations to link environmental protection with economic development and community revitalization. The Brownfields National Partnership seeks to protect public health and the environment, clean up contaminated properties, build economic viability, and create job opportunities. The Interagency Working Group on Brownfields was established in July 1996 as a forum for Federal agencies to exchange information on brownfields-related activities and to develop a coordinated national agenda for addressing brownfields. The Interagency Working Group is developing a brownfields strategy, the Brownfields National Partnership Action Agenda, that will link more effectively environmental protection with economic development and community revitalization programs, and guide the Brownfields Initiative into the future.

BROWNFIELDS NATIONAL PARTNERSHIP ACTION AGENDA

The Brownfields National Partnership Action Agenda includes more than 100 commitments from more than 25 organizations including more than 15 Federal agencies. These commitments represent a $300 million investment in brownfields communities by the Federal government and an additional $165 million in loan guarantees. The resulting action will help cleanup and redevelopment at up to 5,000 properties, leveraging from $5 billion up to $28 billion in private investment, supporting 196,000 jobs, protecting up to 34,000 acres of “greenfields” and improving the quality of life for as many as 18 million Americans living near brownfields. Action Agenda highlights include:

• The Administration choosing 10 Brownfields Showcase Communities, each with a Federal coordinator and 5 or more Federal agencies, serving as models demonstrating successful collaboration on brownfields-related activities;
• The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) funding $125 million for assessment, cleanup, state cleanup programs and job training;
• The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) providing $155 million in community development and housing support and an additional $165 million in loan guarantees;
• The Economic Development Administration (EDA) granting $17 million for brownfields redevelopment in distressed areas;
• The Department of Transportation (DOT) funding $4.2 million for sustainable transportation addressing brownfields issues;
• The General Services Administration (GSA) conducting $1 million of environmental surveys on Federal properties to expedite brownfields development;
• The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) providing $900,000 for waterfront and coastal revitalization;
• The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) committing $500,000 to support brownfields economic development and job creation and working with the Departments of Labor (DOL) and Education to link job training initiatives;
• The Department of Energy (DOE) providing $315,000 to link DOE cleanups with brownfields communities;
• HHS leading an Administration-wide effort to develop a public health policy for brownfields to protect community residents;
• Treasury working with Congress to pass the President’s proposed $2 billion brownfields tax incentive; and
• EPA, the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the States collaborating to establish national guidelines for State voluntary cleanup programs.

BROWNFIELDS SHOWCASE COMMUNITIES

Purpose

The Brownfields National Partnership Action Agenda calls for the selection of 10 Showcase Communities across the country to demonstrate that through cooperation, Federal, State, local and private efforts can be concentrated around brownfields to produce environmental cleanup, stimulate economic development and revitalize communities. This proposal will result in cleaning up contaminated properties, creating jobs, expanding local economies, and improving communities’ quality of life. The Brownfields Showcase Communities approach provides sustainable local solutions to local problems, solutions that can be replicated throughout the nation.

Background

Communities involved in the Brownfields Initiative have asked for more interaction among all levels of government, the private sector and non-governmental organizations. To that end, EPA and other Federal agencies have joined together to strengthen and improve their collaborative efforts to clean up and reuse contaminated property. The Brownfields Showcase Communities proposal is the centerpiece of that plan and a pattern for future efforts. The Communities selected will serve as models for broad-based cooperative efforts to support locally-based initiatives.

Implementation Steps

• Screening and selecting 10 communities as Brownfields Showcase Communities (EPA, the Departments of Commerce and the Interior, DOT, GSA, HHS, and HUD have been involved in the planning process). Selection criteria include community need, current brownfields activity and other related Federal activity, local commitment and State involvement, and community size and location.
• Providing resources and technical assistance to each Showcase Community to coordinate Federal brownfields activities and support State and local brownfields activities.
• Working with local Brownfields task forces and advisory boards to link Federal, State, local, and non-governmental activities with community members.

• Reporting annually and evaluating progress.

CONTACT

Linda Garczynski
U.S. EPA - OSPS
Phone: 202-260-4039
Facsimile: 202-260-6606

Or, visit the EPA Brownfields Website at:
http://www.epa.gov/brownfields

EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency (5101)
Washington, DC 20460

Official Business
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